House & Garden Stuff
the Discount Diva
House & Garden Stuff
Affordably Cute: An Oxymoron?
My husband and I just moved to a new apartment. We love everything about it, except for the shower rod in the bathroom. I know it sounds like a minor issue, but in our world it's huge! The problem is that the rod is drilled into the tile really high up the wall -- 90 inches from the floor, in fact -- and we can't seem to find an extra long shower curtain that isn't ugly or super-expensive.
We rent, so there's no yanking out the rod and re-drilling/positioning allowed. And, it just looks dorky to have a super-short shower curtain hanging up.
I've been told that I could make my own shower curtain, but I don't sew. Go figure! So, I'm posting this question to you because I know you're all full of creative and cost-effective ideas.
We've soaked one-too-many floor mats as a result of our curtain-less showers. Help!
Recycled Art
It pains me to toss a wall calendar at the end of the year. The pictures are so nice. Plus, if we're all tossing calendars, well, that's a lot of trees going to waste! I explained this to my artsy friend a few weeks ago and she had a great idea: Frame the calendar photos you like the most! Ah-ha! And that's what I did. In the end I saved money on art and I helped save a tree.
Valentine's Day is Almost Here (Wink-Wink)
Excuse the pun, but I LOVE Valentine's Day. It's the day of the year that I try to show all of my friends and family how appreciative I am to have them in my life. Of course, my husband (as much as he wishes he didn't) gets the BIG box of chocolates and the over-the-top mushy card delivered to his job courtesy of his wife, but I like to send everyone else a little something, too. Here are a few gift ideas I have in mind for the folks who make me feel special. And, guess what? Each item is under $5!!! (Except for the toast stencil. It's $6...but, c'mon, it's so cute!)
DIY Lollipop Bouquet Find a small flowerpot from the dollar store; fill it with soil; stick a bunch of lollipops in it. Voila!
"Love" Necklace from Girlprops.com. They'll...ahem...love it!
Heart Measuring Spoons from Amazon.com. Great for the cook.
Sweet Talk Magnets from Organize.com. For all of those sweet nothings.
I Love You Toast Stamper from Urbanoutfitters.com. Nothing says "I love you" better than a perfect piece of toast.
Out of Time? Out of Money? Both?
As much as I enjoy finding a great bargain, it can become a time-consuming pursuit: sifting through racks and racks or browsing dozens of websites for that perfect deal (that I don't have to fork over half my paycheck for) can take hours!
I just found a way to save precious time and money. Frugalfindsnyc.com is a cool site that culls together the best fashion, beauty and home bargains of the day. And contrary to the website's name, you don't have to live in New York City to reap the benefits -- the creators have provided website addresses for the New York-based stores so you can buy the items from home.
Save on Sheets
I love reading (er, looking at the pictures in) home magazines. And then I try to emulate the décor that I see in the pages. But, considering that a sheet in some of my favorite magazines costs $100+, I don't get very far at seeing my visions into fruition.
Now, I don't have to try so hard to get it right. DwellStudio, one of the country's leading modern home furnishings companies, just introduced a new home collection -- DwellStudio for Target. The line consists of a graphic and colorful array of home and bed linens at prices ranging from $2.99 for a napkin to $99.99 for a king-sized comforter set.
about the blogger
Ayren
Ayren Jackson-Cannady has yet to find a bargain or sale she didn’t like. It’s a good relationship for her wallet, but not so much for the dwindling closet space in the apartment that she shares with her husband, John and her cat, Shiny in Brooklyn, NY.
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